Not all 3D printers are created equal, and, although some are definitely “more equal” than others, broard FFF platform adoption has unleashed inventors’ creativity, with many people all over the world coming up with — and commercialising — their own, very particular, version of the technology. At an industrial level many companies have built upon previous experiences especially with SLA, DLP, SLS and Inkjet (binder) powder 3D printing.
Within this landscape, one company stands out with a – relatively – simple technology capable of amazing results, the only one to offer true full colour 3D printing with virtually no cost of materials and – most of all – virtually no costs in terms of environmental sustainability. This company is Mcor Technologies and, according to Conor MacCormack, the company’s co-founder and CEO, this strategy is really starting to pay off.
When I met Mr MacCormack at the latest 3D Printshow in London his satisfaction at the results achieved by the company that he and his brother first envisioned in 2002 clearly shines through. “The technology that moves our hardware (based on the SLD, selective deposition lamination, process) has now been consolidated and it is the only one able to offer 3D printing of true full colour models using regular sheets of office paper,” he told me. “We are now concentrating on introducing new software capabilities to allow for even more precision and detail in applying this full range of colours, for example by preserving exact colour schemes even when applying text and boolean geometries in general”.
Unlike Stratasys’ newest Objet 3 Connex500 system, which uses a gradient system of palettes, Mcor’s IRIS platform is able to precisely position any colour in any part of a 3D printed object’s outer surface. Its only real rival for full colour 3D printing currently is 3D Systems, with its Projet x60 range, while even the newest Projet 4500, which can 3D print plastified objects, cannot do as many colour shades.
“We are able to do full ICC colour mapping and thus find and assign the truest colour to anything you would want to 3D print. These are the features that consumers are asking for,” adds Mr MacCormack. “We are aware that the IRIS is not a home 3D printer but it is the perfect system for any business that wants to target consumers.”
The recent partnership with Adobe and the ongoing collaboration with the Staples stores show that Mcor is serious about expanding into the consumer (and prosumer) sector. The recent sales numbers confirm this trend. Although Mcor does not disclose exact unit sale figures, the company’s CEO revealed that they are in the hundreds of systems sold and that the company is set to grow by a further 400% in the coming year.
Mcor believes consumer demand for its type of 3D printing is set to grow even more with the rapid diffusion (and general price reduction) of 3D scanning systems. Prices have been dropping from several thousand dollars to just a few hundred for an efficient 3D scanner and this greater availability of colour 3D models will likely translate to higher demand for colour 3D printing.
If Mr MacCormack’s forecast is accurate, the company’s strategy to adopt a fully green policy, which has been recognized by the 3D Printshow Green Award for 2014, will prove even more beneficial. “Our 3D printing technology has low energy requirements and the material we use – paper – is the most recyclable there is,” he says. “It is non-toxic, emits no fumes, leaves no dust and does not require an extraction unit. Our inks are water soluble and the glue we use is fully biodegradable. Eco-sustainability has always been a priority from the very beginning”.
It looks like Mcor has found its pot of “green” gold at the end of the rainbow. But it is unlikely that the company will just settle on it and I expect to see a lot more from them in the following months. Conor hinted that next year was going to be a big year for the company.
Image Credit: Photos by Dario Marinoni © all rights reserved
